TrackMania Turbo's charm is immediate, but not long-lasting.

The series is moving away from being an authentic baseball simulation, but for longtime players of The Show, these pie-in-the-sky ideas are just what this baseball series needs.

I appreciate Turbo's demand for precision, of emphasizing fundamental racing principles like the traction of your wheels and the precision of your inputs. And while I definitely got into that addictive headspace where I was chasing better times, even the endless variety of tracks doesn't offer the depth I was looking for. Since the title is so focused on the time attack format, it does little else to keep your attention.

Quantum Break isn’t a perfect game; it’s a bold experiment in how two -mediums can tell a larger story, and at times it pays off. It would be foolish for every game to attempt to emulate this form of storytelling, but Quantum Break as a gaming oddity deserves attention. I wish the events of the show were more significant to the main story, but Quantum Break more than makes up for that with some of the best storytelling and gameplay Remedy has ever produced.

This episode is a fun continuation of The New Order of the Stone’s adventures, but it’s missing the building drama of the prior installments.

Ska Studios continually impresses with the ambition of its games, which are always defined by an impeccable attention to detail and tight moment-to-moment mechanics. That reputation for clean design continues unabated with Salt and Sanctuary. This nightmarish island is well worth a visit, even if you’ve never confronted the challenging games that engendered the adventure.

Compared to Telltale’s other work in this universe, Michonne’s mini-series lacks any discernible guiding philosophy outside of poorly articulated and uninteresting nihilism. I’m not attached to any of these new characters and I know that Michonne is not in harm’s way given that the series occurs between certain issues of the comic, so what impetus is there to care about anything that’s going on here? While the aimlessness of Give No Shelter might thematically match the hopeless wandering of its source material, it makes for a rather unpleasant and forgettable time.

Day of the Tentacle is largely removed from the adventure genre’s shortcomings, such as obtuse puzzle design, though it lacks a certain depth to its story. Nonetheless, its strange premise, witty one-liners, and brain-teasing puzzles help it remain something special.

Day of the Tentacle is largely removed from the adventure genre’s shortcomings, such as obtuse puzzle design, though it lacks a certain depth to its story. Nonetheless, its strange premise, witty one-liners, and brain-teasing puzzles help it remain something special.

Dirty Rally can be unforgiving, unrelenting, and seemingly as high in its demands as the infamous hill climb at Pikes Peak. But the journey is sublime.

If you have the choice, I’d recommend the VR version slightly over the traditional display, but not to the point where anyone should pass up a fascinating experience because one is more immersive. [VR Tested]

Between its unforgiving nature, unbalanced difficulty, and humdrum puzzles, I wouldn't have pressed on through Dokuro if I wasn't reviewing it. Rarely did I feel that fun "a-ha" moment that makes puzzle games exciting; instead I found tedium and frustration. I surely wasn't as devoted to this game as Dokuro was to the princess. Add me to the list of Dokuro's unrequited loves.

Hyrule Warriors Legends is still a solid action game featuring Zelda characters and worlds, and the added mechanics, levels, and characters for 3DS are fun and worthy additions. Unfortunately, the game’s technical performance drags it down significantly.

Though some quirks might unnecessarily keep players at arm’s length, those willing to grapple with the more arcane aspects of Stardew Valley are in for a world of delight.

With myriad improvements to both the feature set and the core gameplay, UFC 2 takes the series from prospect to contender in just its second entry.

UFC 2 improves over its predecessor in the ways it needed to. The improved ground game and deeper career mode are the biggest draws, but Knockout mode is a blast to play with a friend, and Ultimate Team offers a unique twist on the popular mode from other sports games. If 2014’s EA Sports UFC was a promise being made, UFC 2 is its deliverance.

Ubisoft now has a solid foundation for operating its first persistent open world. If Massive and co. make smart additions to the end-game content and keep a steady stream of new activities for players to enjoy, I could see this game going strong years into the future. But if the Dark Zone and PvE environment don't evolve, I'm not sure many people will be left in New York City come the winter.

If you can accept its myriad tonal inconsistencies and buy into the bullet-sponge combat, The Division is an intriguing social shooter that taps into the addictiveness of loot grinding in a novel setting.

Ubisoft now has a solid foundation for operating its first persistent open world. If Massive and co. make smart additions to the end-game content and keep a steady stream of new activities for players to enjoy, I could see this game going strong years into the future. But if the Dark Zone and PvE environment don't evolve, I'm not sure many people will be left in New York City come the winter.

For Pokémon fans, it’s a hard recommendation for its self-imposed separation from the grand Pokémon universe. For the person in the middle of the Pokémon and fighting game Venn diagram, however, enough depth exists to encourage heated, practiced competition to earn it a spot next to Super Smash Bros. on the shelf.

The short cutscenes that bookend the level do little to set up the overarching narrative, and would be forgettable even if you didn't have to wait a month for the next few minutes of story. This simply isn't enough, even for devoted fans like me. I'm still optimistic that Hitman will end up being a good game, but you very well may have to wait for the full bundle in January to play it.

When all is said and done, Revelations winds up feeling more like “more Fire Emblem Fates” than its own distinct campaign and is easily the weakest of the three. However, for those looking to spend more time with Fates’ rich cast of characters and explore relationships unavailable in the either Conquest or Birthright, this DLC campaign is one quality encore.

If you can handle popping in and out just a few times a day to crack your chests, collect some crowns, and summon some archers, you’re in for a great time.

I half expected this game to be a shallow vanity project, but it's got more substance than that. The number of tracks and the career structure expose you to more content than most rally titles, even if the racing itself isn't tight enough to compete with the top dogs.

Superhot is a short-but-sweet experience. Its basic mechanics don’t evolve much after the first few levels, but the unique brand of bullet-time proves that games don’t have to be fast to feel action-packed.

The Flame in the Flood has a beautiful aesthetic and a strong structure, welcoming a larger audience with its accessibility options. The trip down the river is a rocky, dangerous one, but there are rich treasures and exciting tales waiting to be discovered by those brave enough to take the journey.

Garden Warfare 2 is active and engaging throughout. Finding challenges to take on, even when you don’t want to play online, is easy, and everything feeds into your leveling and unlocks regardless of where you are playing. The new classes add worthwhile abilities (and character designs), the new modes keeping things moving (and are often weird), and the combat is interesting, without venturing into the cumbersome or complicated.

While this first episode is a bit rocky and uneven, it ends strong, raising the stakes and setting the stage for the other two episodes. The Walking Dead: Michonne still has time to hit its stride, make something out of its supporting cast, and creating a journey worthy of its fascinating protagonist.